An Interview with the "Almost Always Organized Mom"

For all my talk about being a perfectionist, I must admit that I'm not nearly as organized as I'd like.

I think the whole "perfection" thing was actually a huge barrier for me. I've hesitated to tackle projects until I had the time to do them perfectly, so... well, you can guess what happened.

You won't see my home featured on "Clean House" (i.e. no dump truck necessary), but it also won't be on HGTV. Which is okay. For me, it's not about perfection anymore ... it's about efficiency. Better organization helps me stay focused and be more productive. And save money.

I'm guessing I'm not the only one who's organizationally challenged at times. Recently, I found a great website called http://www.organizedfamilies.com/. I interviewed its founder, Karrine "Kay" McFarlane, (aka "The Almost Organized Mom," pictured above) and below she provides some great tips for keeping our households on track.

Bear in mind the goal is organization, not perfection!

What is the biggest barrier to organization for most women?
I am sure that barriers to organization for women are based on their the individual circumstances however, I personally find my barriers are based on not having enough time in the day, finances, and my energy level.

How do you combat the clutter monster in your house?
I simply keep things out of my house. Especially paper. I limit the number of items we have everywhere possible and ensure I have a place to put items before I purchase them by asking myself ‘Do I have a space to keep this?’.

What is your advice for helping make big house projects (cleaning out closets, garage, etc.) more manageable?
I keep a running list of all the things I need to get done around the house. If they can be broken down into small steps (I never have more than 3 hours to work on a project) I will work on them. Otherwise, I ask someone to help or pay someone. I try to tackle a project each month.

As a single parent, large projects are always a challenge, and I try to assign a monetary value to my time. The equations is simple math: My hourly salary minus their hourly rate = ? If the result is a negative numeral- then I better start looking for friends to help!

You must do a lot of cooking. How do you manage mealtime preparation efficiently?
Three items used every week in my house : Rice cooker (add ingredients press button and walk away), crock pot, and bread machine (used to make dough). I also use a lot of fresh vegetables. Salads, pasta salads, and meal items that can be cooked ahead of time. It helps to be with someone who likes to cook as well!

What are some ways you involve your children in household organization?
Every Saturday morning we crank up the music and clean. I encourage the children to help (help is the key word here – they clean with me). I let my children help vacuum, wash windows, wash the van, set the table, clear the table, put away dishes.

I expect there to be the odd ‘window streak’ missed spots mopped’ and beds not always perfect’. I take the time to show then new ways to do things (such as tucking in sheets) on days they seem receptive.

My motto is ‘it's about working together as a family’. It’s not about who made the mess, but how we will get everything done so we can have family time. I assign each child one small task at a time.

I personally struggle with keeping up with laundry. I'm sure I'm not alone. What strategy do you use to stay on top of your big family's weekly washload?
Some people love my way of keeping up with laundry, others think I am crazy. In my laundry room I have 4 large ‘pantries’. I fold the laundry, it is put away. The only clothing kept in the children’s rooms are their Sunday bests, shoes, and jackets.

This saves me the time of trucking laundry up and down the stairs and the laundry that accumulates when the children pull everything out of the drawers to find their favourite ‘batman shirt’. Their dressers are used to store their special toys and items in their rooms.

I always fold the laundry as I take it out of the dryer. It takes five minutes and it’s done. I never have 20 minutes to sit and fold four loads of laundry left in a basket and the idea of all that laundry overwhelms me into procrastination. Start a load each morning and new load each evening it’s an ongoing never ending process.

During these economic times, saving money is on everyone's mind. What are some of your favorite tips for saving money?
I have been looking at my grocery budget and fuel costs. I always find I am throwing out leftover food each evening, so I am trying to incorporate two meals into each dinner (spaghetti one night followed by sloppy joes the next). I live in a smaller community and I allow my children to walk the 5 blocks to school and found someone on my son’s track team who literally drives past my house to take him to practices.

Do you have any particular household gadgets or products that help you stay organized?
Plastic bins on wheels for all my children’s homework items and art stuff. We wheel it to the table at homework time. Large shelves in the entry way for the children’s shoes, and school bags.

How do you achieve organization without expecting perfection from yourself and your kids?
This is something I had to learn not my children. I read an article recently that talked about parents polled to ask what their goal is in relation to raising their children. The majority said to make sure the children are ‘happy and fulfilled’.

My goal is to teach them to be socially responsible and caring. Their bedroom doesn’t have to be ‘spotless’ for that to occur. But I need to model caring, understanding, and patience. I set my parenting priorities ‘social responsibility and education’ and I focus my energies on reaching these goals not having a perfect home.

Kay is a single mom of three children helping with the daily care of her boyfriend's three children and home as well as her own home. She runs a home-based business helping businesses launch their social media presence at http://www.hersocialmedia.com and also blogs as the ‘Almost Always Organized Mom’ at http://www.organizedfamilies.com

I'll be posting more in the coming weeks about organization. I have an insanely organized friend (I mean that in a good way) who is helping me revamp key areas of my home for better useability (is that a word?) and efficiency. I hope to post some "Before" and "After" pics.

Hopefully it will inspire you! ;0)